biostudies-literatureBartolini ENIAID NIH HHSNHLBI NIH HHS963-72https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2258229biostudies-literatureUnknown60(4)While it is generally accepted that anaerobic metabolism is required during infection, supporting experimental data have only been described in a limited number of studies. To provide additional evidence on the role of anaerobic metabolism in bacterial pathogens while invading mammalian hosts, we analysed the effect of the inactivation of FNR, the major regulatory protein involved in the adaptation to oxygen restrictive conditions, and of two of the FNR-regulated genes on the survival of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) in vivo. We found that fnr deletion resulted in more than 1 log reduction in the meningococcal capacity to proliferate both in infant rats and in mice. To identify which of the FNR-regulated genes were responsible for this attenuated phenotype, we defined the FNR rMolecular microbiologyRole of FNR and FNR-regulated, sugar fermentation genes in Neisseria meningitidis infection.PMC2258229R01 AI046464T32-HL007951R01 AI046464-01A1T32 HL007951R01-AI46464Shaik YGalli GWelsch JAFrigimelica EGrandi GGrifantini RGiovinazzi SBartolini EGenco CGranoff DMfalseRole of FNR and FNR-regulated, sugar fermentation genes in Neisseria meningitidis infection.While it is generally accepted that anaerobic metabolism is required during infection, supporting experimental data have only been described in a limited number of studies. To provide additional evidence on the role of anaerobic metabolism in bacterial pathogens while invading mammalian hosts, we analysed the effect of the inactivation of FNR, the major regulatory protein involved in the adaptation to oxygen restrictive conditions, and of two of the FNR-regulated genes on the survival of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) in vivo. We found that fnr deletion resulted in more than 1 log reduction in the meningococcal capacity to proliferate both in infant rats and in mice. To identify which of the FNR-regulated genes were responsible for this attenuated phenotype, we defined the FNR r2006-01-01T00:00:00Z2006 May2025-04-04T08:58:50.145Z2019-03-27T02:44:13ZS-EPMC22582291667730710.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05163.x